


Ocean in your Eyes

by EmpressOfAU



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Comfort, Cuddles, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Sleeping Together, minor black eagles route spoilers, soff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 16:03:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20138182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressOfAU/pseuds/EmpressOfAU
Summary: Edelgard is once more woken by nightmares and past trauma. She knows there is only one person who can soothe her mind and heart.





	Ocean in your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Just a super quick drabble I wrote in 20 minutes about these two amazing ladies as a warm up for my incoming long fic. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Edelgard woke with a start, she always did, a cry tearing free from her already hoarse throat, making her wonder how long she’s been crying out. Her body bathed in a cold sweat, night gown clinging uncomfortably to her, she wants nothing more than to tear it off, get it away from her skin. Her heart thuds in her ears loudly, drowning out everything else. 

Her eyes scanned the darkness of her bedroom, looking for threats, looking for the monsters responsible for her nightmares. She doesn’t find them, they’re never there. While she’s not completely rid of them yet, they can’t touch her anymore, she’s seen to that. 

Closing her eyes, she concentrates on her breathing, deep, controlled breaths. In for a count of four, out for six. She repeats it and keeps repeating it until her racing her slows, until she feels she can breathe normally again. 

Edelgard is forced to take a moment, untangling herself from the mess of sheets and blankets her nightmares created. She can’t fall back asleep, not yet. She never can. Too much frantic energy in her body now. 

Rising from her bed, Edelgard scans the dark room, eyes adjusted enough to the dark to spot her bright crimson cloak hanging at its usual place on the hook. She skips past it, finding the familiar dark coat, holes cut and sewn into the under arms so it can be worn like a cloak. It’s a new nightly ritual, she thinks. Honestly, she can’t remember when Byleth started leaving her coat in the Emperor’s room, but Edelgard knows the woman does it on purpose, she’s not exactly one to forget something like that. 

It had happened a few times before Edelgard finally asked why. Byleth had just smiled, one of those rare, soft smiles that always completely ruined the Emperor’s composure, just smiled and shrugged, offering no explanation. 

Grabbing the dark coat, as she had done many times now, Edelgard wrapped herself up in the surprisingly soft, well worn fabric, and stepped out into the night. The cool air was a blessing upon her heated skin, but she knew it would soon have her shivering as her sweat chilled and dried. Tugging the coat firmly around herself, the emperor walked the familiar halls of the monastery.

There were so many memories attached to this place. She should have hated this place, it stood as a symbol of everything wrong with this world, everything that she wanted to tear down and destroy. All the injustices, the broken social order of the world, this was its home, where beings who thought themselves better than humans, who thought they could manipulate and control, this is where they dug their claws into the world. 

Yet, despite it all, most of her memories were good ones. If she closed her eyes she could almost hear the laughter of students, the clatter of sparring weapons, the sound of professors giving lectures. How many of them were dead now? Dead by her very hand? Dead by her orders? 

This place marked so many beginnings, and so many ends. Edelgard didn’t regret her choices, didn’t question her path. She knew it was the only way, was certain that this was the path to creating a new world, a better world. But that didn’t make it any easier, didn’t make the blood soaked path any cleaner. How many thousands had already died? How many more still had to die before they could live in that world? Did she even deserve to live in it? Could she ever wash the blood from her hands and touch something so precious, so pure? 

A gust of wind, sent a shiver wracking the Emperor’s body, pulling her from the spiraling thoughts. Edelgard blinked, taking in her surroundings. She almost laughed, realizing where her errant feet had decided to carry her. Perhaps some small, logical part of her mind had helped as well, knowing that there was only one way she would be getting back to sleep tonight. 

Edelgard looked upon the door, taking in the familiar worn surface, noting every little scratch and chip. Despite herself, the Emperor hesitated, fists curling into the material of the coat. She shouldn’t be nervous, shouldn’t be hesitating. This wasn’t the first time, it wouldn’t be the last. One day the walk wouldn’t even be necessary, at least, she hoped, she dreamed. But for now, propriety insisted it was necessary, although with each passing day Edelgard was beginning to care less and less. 

Taking a deep breath, she scented the familiar smell of steel, earth, and her favourite bergamot tea. Edelgard felt a smile come unbidden to her lips, she knew if she reached in the pocket she would find a packet of the leaves. 

Allowing the comforting, calming smell to steady her thoughts, Edelgard released her grip on the coat, reaching out to rap gently against the door. She knew Byleth wouldn’t mind if she just let herself in, but Edelgard couldn’t just override a lifetime of etiquette lessons. 

It took a moment of silence filled with a worry that Byleth was still sleeping, before the door finally swung open. Despite herself, the emperor immediately felt herself flush at the sight of the taller woman. 

Byleth liked to sleep in very minimal clothing, which Edelgard couldn’t exactly say bothered her. At least, not in a bad way. The first time she had ever knocked on her teacher’s door it had nearly caused her heart to stop beating. A fire spell splashing over her felt cooler than how much her cheeks had burned. 

By now she was used to the sight, but that didn’t stop it from still sending her heart racing and cheeks flushing. Despite all her training and self control, Edelgard could  _ never _ stop her eyes from roving, lingering over a firm stomach, powerful arms and shoulders, and shamefully, a generous bust that she always felt guilty about leering it. 

“El?” Byleth’s voice was raspy with sleep, the woman, uncaring as always about her current state of dress, rubbed at her sea green eyes, lime coloured hair was messier than usual, a few strands sticking up cutely or falling across her face. 

“I’m sorry to have woken you,” Edelgard said quickly, guilt filling her body. She shouldn’t need to come running like this every time-

Every self chastisement, every thought ground to a halt as Byleth smiled that gentle, soft smile that seemed reserved for Edelgard alone. Without a word, the taller woman reached out, gripping the coat and tugging gently, forcing the Emperor to walking quickly into the room to avoid stumbling. 

Byleth closed the door with a gentle click, turning to meet the Emperor’s eyes. That smile, that beautiful smile still on her face. 

“Nightmare?” 

Edelgard just nodded, staring up into gentle eyes looking at her with an affection she’d never seen nor felt. She’d always been scared of the sea, terrified of it’s dark depths, of being dragged down into them. Nightmares like that had plagued her childhood, they still caused her the occasional sleepless night. 

Byleth’s eyes were an ocean, but one Edelgard had never, and could never fear. They weren’t the cold, dark depths of an unforgiving sea. They were warm, soft waves lapping at at her ankles, caressing her skin while the sun shone down overhead, embracing her in warmth. They were comfort in the purest sense. 

No words were said as Byleth led her by the hand, leading them to the bed, their fingers meshing together. She wordlessly pulled the coat from Edelgard’s shoulders, tossing it onto a nearby chair. Sitting on the bed, Byleth scooted back, looking up at the emperor with those gentle, knowing eyes. It was funny, for a woman who showed so little emotion, Edelgard could read so much in just a simple look. 

Slipping into the bed and laying next to Byleth was becoming one of the most natural feelings in the world to Edelgard, despite how rare it was. Byleth’s arm found a home around her waist, pulling them close, their legs twining together without a thought. 

Edelgard looked up, back into those warm ocean eyes. “Thank you.”

Byleth smiled, the moonlight filtering through the window casting her in an ethereal light. Byleth never spoke more than she had to, instead she said so much more with her actions than her words. It wasn’t words Edelgard needed, it wasn’t a speech or any number of spoken reassurances. It was this, right here, and Byleth knew, she always knew. Her cool lips found Edelgard’s forehead, pressing a tender kiss as her arm tightened around the Emperor’s waist, bringing them closer. Edelgard buried face into the woman’s neck, ear resting just above her collar bone. 

Perhaps she should have found it alarming, not hearing the beat of a heart in her ear. The first time they’d hugged, it had shocked her. But she didn’t need the steady rhythm of a heartbeat to soothe her into sleep. It was the arm around her waist, the gentle puffs of breath against her brow, it was the knowledge that she was safe, it was thoughts of caressing waves and a gentle smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> I can't decide if Byleth should be abnormally cold or abnormally warm.
> 
> Long fic will be split into 2 parts. 1 chapter for each month of the game. Each chapter will be quite long, focusing mostly on Edelgard and Byleth's relationship, but also deal with the game plot and other characters.


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